Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary

Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary
Location	Nagpur district and Bhandara district, Maharashtra, India
Nearest city	Nagpur 58 kilometres (36 mi)
Coordinates
Area	189 km2 (73 sq mi)
Established	2013
Governing body	Maharashtra Forest Department
Website	www.mahapenchtiger.com/Bor/Umred-Karhandala.aspx

Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary, about 58 km from Nagpur and 60  km from Bhandara spreed over Pauni Tahsil of Bhandara district and Umred, Kuhi and Bhivapur Taluka of Nagpur district. This Sanctuary has also connection with Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve through forest along Wainganga river. The sanctuary is home to resident breeding tigers, herds of Gaur, wild dogs and also rare animals like flying squirrels, pangolins and honey badger.

It is bounded roughly by the Wainganga river and the Gose Khurd Dam on the northeast, State Highway 9 and Bhiwapur Town on the south, Umred on the west and a narrow 10 km long range of 600 – 800 m hills to the northwest. It is located 40 km north of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and 50 km southwest of Nagzira Wildlife Sanctury & 60 km from Nagpur, Maharashtra. Pench Tiger Reserve is 80 km to the northwest

From the last few years, the number of tourists are increasing because it is very close to the Umred and Nagpur city. Tigers are very commonly seen here by many villages around the sanctuary.

Wildlife

According to a recent report in the India Times report 11 tigers, six leopards are in the sanctuary, in addition to wild dogs, sloth bears, bisons, nilgais, deer and sambars

In 2009, Umred-Karhandla was identified as having a good source population of tigers.

Tourism and Conservation

The sanctuary provides connectivity between key tiger reserves like Tadoba, Pench, Bor and Nagzira. It thus also serves to reduce pressure of tourists and tourist-related activities from those protected areas because they are more Eco sensitive.

Starting a few years, several water management programs have been created by tiger protection NGO Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). About 100 km of motorable road have been developed out of which tourists are allowed on 44 km. The road can handle about 40 vehicles- 20 in the morning and 20 in the evening. The Forest department has trained about 20 villagers from the nearby and surrounding areas as guides which provides them employment. The main entrance of the sanctuary is at Karhandla village.

Umred-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary, is one of the most visited wildlife sanctuary, after Pench in Nagpur area. The tiger Jai, regularly sighted in the park, has migrated here from the sanctuary at Nagzira.

The following statistics pertain to the 2013-14 tourist season from October 16 to February 28 :

• 7,504 tourists (1,454 vehicles) visited Umred-Karhandla while
• 17,215 tourists (3,455 vehicles) visited Pench National Park and
• 6,551 tourists (1,190 vehicles)visited Bor Wildlife Sanctuary.

External links

• Official website